Applications are invited for a fully funded Post-Doctoral Research Assistant or Associate post for 36 months starting by June 2015. The post is funded as part of the EU Horizon 2020 AEROGUST research project. You will be supervised by Prof J.E. Cooper from the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Bristol in collaboration with Dr Ann Gaitonde and Dr Dorian Jones who are the Principal Investigators of the AEROGUST project.

There is a great emphasis at the moment on green aircraft designs, influenced by the Flightpath-2050 initiative to cut aircraft emissions. In the medium and long term period it is evident that significant steps will be required to design more efficient aircraft that are able to meet ever stringent environmental requirements, and one element of this is to understand and design against the loads that arise from gusts and turbulence. Recent work in this area at the University of Bristol that has concentrated upon predicting the loads from gusts in the FP7 FFAST project and the Marie-Curie Initial Training network on Aircraft Loads Prediction (ALPES).

The AEROGUST project is aimed at developing improved simulation methods for gusts through the inclusion of nonlinear aerodynamics and structures. This work will provide an enabling technology for bringing about radical changes in aircraft designs. You will work on developing efficient reduced order structural and aeroelastic models for fast and accurate nonlinear gust response prediction. The methods will be applied to both conventional and novel aircraft configurations.

You will have a good first degree in engineering and a PhD in aeroelasticity, optimisation or related subject. Experience in the use of Finite Elements, Aeroelasticity software and optimisation packages would be beneficial.

You will be based at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Bristol, but will be expected to spend short placements working with the other partners in the project.

This post is offered on a full time, fixed term contact for 3 years in the first instance.

Contact Professor J.E. Cooper for more information on this programme; Dept of Aerospace Engineering, University of Bristol, BS8 1TR. Email: j.e.cooper<στο>bristol.ac.uk

The University of Bristol is committed to equality and we value the diversity of our staff and students.

To apply, please click here to be redirected to our website, enter the vacancy number into the job search and follow the link to the online application process.

The closing date for applications is 15 March 2015.

Contract Type

The successful applicant for this vacancy may be appointed either on a fixed term or a permanent contract depending on the extent of their previous relevant research experience, in line with the University’s Fixed Term Contract Agreement. Further information can be found at www.bristol.ac.uk/hr/ftc/